https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:11:03 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376330 Thu, 05 Jul 2012 01:28:15 +0000
Very little has to do with measurements or sight.
You know that they're 'spose ta be lower on the bass side.
Other than that, the optimum height is achieved via listening.

Why are measurements not a major factor?
Cos each Strat is different, and everyone plays differently.

You may have a Strat with a BOOMING BASS (like my '71).
It WAY overpowered the jangle-factor, so it had to be dropped low on the bass side.

You may have an innately high end sounding Strat, and a light touch with your fingers -
Prob have to raise the bass side to get a balanced effect.

It's all a matter a taste and balance.... What YOU think sounds balanced.
So plug it in and play it. Make adjustments to each pup accordingly.
Different strings, old/new strings, different pick materials and different amps will have you scrambling to re-balance the pups.

The mid pup is the trouble one: Do you want it as a stand alone pup, or do you use it only for the 2 & 4 pos?
Or maybe it's just IN YOUR WAY when you strum, so you drop it to the lowest, flattest position! :wink:

Ken]]> Guitar Players Discussion CitiZenNoir https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376330 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376271 Sun, 01 Jul 2012 18:44:20 +0000
On a side, this crazy summer weather is doing a number on some of my guitars. We normally have just plain, boring hot and sticky. Easy for guitars to stay constant. Instead, we've had everything from cool & Dry to hot and sticky. Now we have Arizona weather. Hot and Dry. 105. I did two complete setups this week in addition to the new one.]]> Guitar Players Discussion rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376271 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376269 Sun, 01 Jul 2012 18:10:41 +0000 On pickup height I'm not real scientific. I eyeball it. Neck pickup, even with top of pickup ring. Bridge pickup, 1/2 way from top of ring to string. That is where they are set on my Epiphones anyhow. I could measure them. I use my callibrated eyes. :lol:]]> Guitar Players Discussion TRGuitar https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376269 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376210 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 20:31:11 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion jwmartin https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376210 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376191 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:57:16 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion imalone https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/paged/2/#post-376191 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376184 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:58:46 +0000
Apologies in advance for the lengthy reply.

For me and my Epi LP Custom with stock, nothing special pickups, it's a question of low end. Thickness of tone. If my pickups are too high, I get gobs of thick tone. The tone thins out as I lower it. I've got my epi's distance from bottom of string to highest point below it on the pickup set to 5/64ths on the bass side and 3/64ths on the treble side.

I did a little experiment a little while back with the epi LP. I recorded three little riffs. One each with the pickups too low, somewhere around spec and then a bit too high. The ones that were too high were muddy as can be. Very thick. The too-low recording was thin. The original spot - which was specs on GN'er Nils' web page for set-ups - was nice a crisp. Not too thick, not too thin, nice volume, good clarity, etc, etc.

As far as string height, I think I am a tiny bit higher than most people. I don't like a lot of noises. Strings that are too low bug me not only because of fret buzz, but also some sort of slapback or sympathetic string vibration noise that comes through the amp. Sometimes it's almost like a fake echo of sorts. I'm really not sure how to describe it.

I follow Nils' page and use those specs as a starting points. My Epi LPs play like buttah. You know how it is with that Hot Rod Deluxe. That amp will tell you the truth. If you've got a bit of sympathetic warble noise, for example, you will know it. You can't hide nuttin with those amps (or the BDRI, the 'Twin, etc).

It's also my understanding that you need to go in order of:
1: Check nut height;
2: Check Truss Rod;
3: check string height;
4: Check Intonation;
5: Check Pickup Height;

One other famous noise maker for LPs. TR can back me up. These saddles with the wire. I've even got a tiny bit of buzz going on in a non-wired replacement now on my other LP. :x :x

Here's Nils' web page: http://home.roadrunner.com/~nils/BasicGuitarSetup.htm

Oh, one other thing to keep in mind is that other manufactures post their own set-up specs and procedures. although pretty close to this, they do vary a bit in where to measure and what to shoot for.]]> Guitar Players Discussion rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376184 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376182 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:34:00 +0000
I had the Epi set up by a pro and changed the bridge pickup and I still don't like the way it sounds.

How do find the optimum pickup height? By adjusting the height playing something and then readjusting or are you just adjusting them to some measured distance from the strings and if so what distance and why? Sorry fo the 3rd degree but you have way more experience than I do with adjustments.]]> Guitar Players Discussion cnev https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376182 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376181 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:08:30 +0000
Nice top re the sweetspot, dogbite. There is a extra little bit of snappiness going on there.

My extra tension springs came in yesterday allowing me to finish setting it up. The pickups' heights were the only really off thing about it from the beginning. The bass side was all the way down on the neck and mid pickups. I eye-balled it the moment I got it home and waited for the springs to go in and subsequent adjustments before working on them. It's all good now.

So there I have it. A Strat, set up nicely, no messed up noises, no twisty necks (old MIM issue) and no more hiding away at the back of the rack in the other room. Seems almost too good to be true. :lol:]]> Guitar Players Discussion rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376181 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376177 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:55:40 +0000
Cat]]> Guitar Players Discussion Cat https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376177 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376175 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:41:28 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion TRGuitar https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/hngd-again/#post-376175